Method and means fob enhancing the qbowth of plants



,C. F. ECKART.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-15.1921. Reissued Nov. 22, 1921.

- soil in which pany hence the growth and development 0 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ECKART, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII 15,231. ori inal No. 1,372,99s, dated March 29, 1921,

tor-reissue filed. October 15, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Eomn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, (whose ostofiice address is Bank of Bishop 8c om- Limited, Honolulu, Territory of Hawai1,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means for Enhancing the Growth of Plants; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. The invention relates to a simple and effective method and means for enhancing the growth of plants, involving the suppression of weeds and deleterious plants, the provision of the suitable soil area about each plant to receive light and moisture, the collection of moisture from rain fall and other sources and the distribution of the sameto the soil outside of the definedplanting area, and the development of ideal conditions of heat and moisture in the soil adjacent the planting areas which will materially enf the plant roots, as well as the rapid development of'the plants proper, so that the yield from the latter-will be greatly augmented. The invention is carried into effect by means of a novel form and construction of mulsh, adapted to be superimposed on the the plants are to develop, the mulsh serving first, to promote rapid evelopment and germination of the seeds, roots 'or bulbs of weeds or objectionable plants and subsequently to smother and destroy the weeds and objectionable plants; second, to provide openings to expose the soil areas inwhich the desired plants are located, by excising certain portions of the covering mulsh, preferably by forming foldable flaps in the mulsh over the planting areas, folding the flaps backward over the top surface of the mulsh and securing the ends of the flaps in slits or! openings forms in the mulsh, to retain the fla s in their locked and open position, and third, to provide the mulshor covering with additional openin located beyond, and not connecte with, t e planting openings and the flaps, which serve to receive the moisture collecting on the covering or mulsh, from rains or Specification of Reissued Letters Patent.

Reissued Nov. 22, 1921.

Serial No. 413,173, filed September 27, 1920. Application Serial No. 508,030.

same into the areas surrounding the plants and more or less remote from the latter, in the initial stages of. development, will be maintained in an ideally moist condition to induce the spreading of the plant roots into these moistened areas, the said covering or mulsh also serving to absorb and transmit the heat from the sun to the subjacent soil areas and thereby further promote or enhance the development of the plant roots, as well as the body of the plant projecting above the soil.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of a muls by means of which the method may be carried into effect;

Fi 2 is a similarview of the mulsh as applied to the surface of the ground with the flaps surroundin the planting openings turned back and locied in position;

Fi 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Re erring to the drawings, 1 indicates the body portion of the mulsh proper, which is formed from a long strip or sheet of flexible dark colored, water-proof paper, which is laid in surface contact with the ground in which the plants or plant producing stock are to be set or may have been set revious to the laying of the mulshing strip. Yreferably at regular intervals, corresponding to the soilareas in which the individual plants are located, or are to be located, the mulsh is provided with slits or incisions to produce a series of flaps, which when folded back will overlie the upper surface of the mulsh, forming openings in the mulsh which expose the soil areas immediatelysurroundingor which will immediately surround the plants or plant producing stock when they are set out. These flaps may be of any desired or convenient form and in the particular exemplification of the invention illustrated, the flaps 3 are formed by two cross cuts or slits 2-42 which intersect each other so as to form four triangular flaps 3, which,

other sources and deliver the S011 so that the soil (1 when folded back, on lines connecting the outer ends of the slits 2, producea substantially square openin 5 in the mulsh which constitutes the planting opening. Disposed (1 about each plantingopening 5 in the body of the mulsh, is' a series of slits 4, which are adapted to receive the outer ends of the flaps 3 when the latter are folded back, said the plants to promote the y radiated from part of the moisture, water'otherwise applied to the surfaces of the lanting'openings' 4 in themulsh, into the v ends being passed through thei slits 4, as illustrated in Figs. 2

planting areas, and also to direct the greater in the form of rain or the flaps, away from" and through the slits soil below the mulsh. These flaps likewise form a barrier against water which'would otherwise drain from the body of the mulsh into the planting area. i V As herebefore indicated it highly desirable that" any moisture" from rains or other sources; falling on the mulsh be directed intothe soil surrounding the planting: areas where it may minimum evaporation,- to be suppliedto extension andidevelopment of plant roots and therefore the concurrent growth of the plant's asa whole. To effect this object openings are formed in the mulsh surrounding the plantingiopenings and .at appropriatedistances therefrom, asfor example, by forming elongated slits '10 disposed in rectangular arrangement, as illustrated, through which openings the greater art of the moisture'falling on the surface o the mulshing directly into the soil and is distributed throughout the same in zones surrounding the lant, and as the roots of the latter naturaify seek and ramify' into these moist zones, which'are warmed by the solar heat the mulsh, the development the roots is enhanced to a The openings 10, being afford ample areas for and growth of marked degree. long and narrow, proper drainage mulsh surface, but the relatively small openings check and greatly reduce the evaporation of the entrapped moisture from the maximum results is-formedof-suitable openingsin the niulsh,.may be made either u soil, in fact the evaporatiombecomes practically negligible.

In carrying out the novel methodconstituting one phase the long strips watevproof covering materlal, which .for

a er impregnated with asphalt, tar, itc or similar waterproofingand heat a sorbing material, are laid on. the repared surface of he ground and-serve: grst toipromote the rapid development"and germination of the weed seeds and the: subsequent, exterminatiouofthe weeds b.

p excluding th'e necessary light and air terefi'om. The slits of the: present invention,

or incisionslwhich: form the' flaps, and those which lock. the fiaps and constitute. drainage before or after the mulsh-is applied and and 3, whereby the planting,-

Washed, through the planting openings onto the be retained, with b soil which are strips passes plant of the ,water from the of: flexible, dark: colored,

trates the soil the plant beds at regularly spaced intervals corresponding to the openings 5 in the mulshing strips or coverings the latter may be superimposed on the soil by first folding back and, if desired, l'ocking theflaps so as to open'up the areas 5 and permit the plants to project therethrough. On the other'hand, if, as in the preferred form, the planting is to be affected only after the weeds have been exterminated, the mulshing strips-are laid over the plant bedsin proper order so that the W entire soil area covered by the mulshing strips will first be freed of weeds, anda'fter this has been accomplished the flaps are formed, turnedv ask, and locked imposition to expose the plantingareas through the openings 5, into which the plants or plant producing stock are then set, this being supplemented of course by the formation of the required drainage openings, 10. It is to be understood -thatby planting areas is meant the soil areas which are exposed by the openings 5 (Fig. 2) in the mulshin strips or coverings, and these so -call'ed p anting areas are the circumscribed portions of the toreceive the plants or'plant producing stock or in which the plants or producing stock have beenset out, de-

pendinguponthe procedure followed. By

' theterm plantbed 1s meant the prepared ground or';soil area upon which the entire mulshing stri or coveringis superimposed; in other'wor, s, it is the soil mass, underlying, or within the borders of the mulsh, which accommodates the roots of the. treated plants. The expression planting opeIiing is intended to designate the opening in the mulsh which exposes the planting area, and through which the plant or plant producing stock is set in-the soil or through which it projects from the soil.

With the fall of rainor'water from any other source, the mulsh acts as a water shed, and the natural drainage from the surface of the mulsh leads the larger part ofthe water which falls on the mulsh throughthe long narrow openings 10 into the subjacent SO11. A relatlvely smaller portion of the. water drains throu h the" slits 4: into the soil; this-latter inc ude s the water which strikes the inclined-surfaces of the fla s, which act as small water sheds, andv ag'o much ofthewater passingunder the flaps.

e water which gains. access were soil through] the openings 10 naturally peneto a much greater depth than that which fallsdirectly' on the-exposed' soil area through :the'openings 5, by reason of-the fact that thewater drain'ing. .fr0m'the greater part of the mulsh surface, passes through said openings 10, in addition to that water which falls directly,-as rain for instance, on the relatively very small exposed soil surface at 10.. It will thus be seen that even a very light rain,which would under ordinary circumstances simply moisten a shallow surface layer of the soil and quickly evaporate, will, as a result of the application of the present invention, cause certain restricted zones of the soil adjacent to the planting area to become moistened to a considerable depth and that the moisture will be retained or trapped in the soil, as the openings 10 afford relatively small evaporatin surfaces. A very' much larger amount 6% water is therefore rendered available to the growing plants than in the ordinary practice.

It will be particularly noted that water penetrates and accumulates to a greater extent in the soil zones which are supplied through the openin s 10, than is the case with the zones supp ied through the slits 4 or through the planting openings 5. This results in difierent soil zones created around the plant which contain different amounts of water and that the penetration of this water into the soil and likewise the amount of water in the soil increases as the distance increases from the. plant 0 enings to the drainage openings 10. Furt ermore, since solar heat is absorbed in large quantities by the dark colored covering or mulshing strips and radiated into the soil mass, the soil temperat-zre becomes elevated above that which would ordinarily prevail in the conventional agricultural practice. The effect of the stored heat and the graded moisture zones "in the soil surrounding the plant area, under the conditions described, is a stimulation of root development and extension outwardly and downwardly from the point at which the plant projects from the soil, and it is the creation of these conditions with which the resent invention is primarily concerned.

T e enhanced root development and extension, obtained in the manner described, is naturally reflected in a materially enhanced development of the whole plant. Due to the different zones, containing diiferent amounts or proportions of moisture, which are created within the soil it will be seen that no matter what the weather conditions may be with respect to rainfall, there will be certain parts of the soil mass underlying the covering, which will contain optimum moisture conditions for root development.

\Vhile other devices have been used to lead the water from the rain or other sources toward the points at which plants project from the soil, the present invention di ers radically therefrom, in that it provides for the diversion of the water from such points and causes the water to penetrate and dis- 66 tribute itself throughout the soil mass in a manner which will effect the reatest root development and extension. 1%. will therefore be seen that in respect of the radiation of solar heat into the soil and the diversion of water into zones more less remote from the body of the ,plant, and the retention of the water in the soil by the overlying covering, practically ideal conditions are established and maintained to produce a maximum rowth and development of each plant as a w ole.

What I claim is:

1. The method of enhancing theygrowth of plants, which comprises superimposing a covering on the ground, exercising portions of the covering to expose soil areas for the plants, and forming openings-in the covering at sections outside of the planting areas to receive drainage water from the covering and deliver the water to zones of the soil outside the planting areas.

2. The method of enhancing the growth of plants which comprises superimposing a covering on the ground, slitting the covering to form flaps. turning back the flaps to expose soil areas for the plants, and forming openings in the covering at sections, outside the planting areas to receivedrainage water from the covering and deliver thewater to zones of the soil outside the planting areas.

3. The method ofenhancing the growth of plants which comprises superimposing a covering on the ground, slitting the covering to form flaps, turning back the flaps to expose soil areas for the plants,'locking the flaps in open osition by passing the outer ends thereof t rough slits in the covering, and formin openings in the covering at sections outsi e the planting areas to receive drainage water from thecovering and deliver the water to zones of the soil outside the planting areas.

I 4. The method of enhancing the growth of plants which comprises superimposing a thin flexible coveringv of water-proof heat absorbing material on the ground, slitting the covering to form flaps, turning back the fla s to expose soil areas for the plants,

'loc ing the flaps in open position by passing the outer ends thereof through slits in the covering, and excising portions of the c 0vering at sections outside of the planting areas to receive drainage water from the covering and deliver the water to zones of the soil outside the planting areas.

5. A mulsh for enhancing the rowth of plants, comprising a strip of flexi le waterproof "material provided with an opening to expose a plant receiving area of soil, and draina e openings disposedat intervals about t e planting opening to deliver drainage water from the surface of the mulsh to zones of the soil outside the planting area.

' .6. A mulsh for enhancing the growth of plants, comprising a strip of flexible waterproof material, having sets of intersecting slits disposed at spaced intervals to form foldable flaps, means for locking the flaps in open position to define plantin 'v openings in the mulsh, and openings outside of the flaps to deliver drainage water from the surface a of the mulsh to zones of the soil outside the proof material, having slits disposed at planting area. I o

7. A mulsh for enhancing the growth of plants, comprising a strip of flexible water-e spaced intervals to form foldable' flaps, slits adjacent the flapsto receive the free ends thereof to lock the flaps in open position and'define the surface ofthe mulsh to outside the planting areas. a

8; A mulsh. for enhancing the growth of plants, comprising a strip of flexible waterproof zones of the soil able flaps, means for locking the fiaps'in open position to form (:penings' for the plants, and openings outsi deliver drainage-water from the surface of the mulsh to. zones of the soil outside the planting areas. a n

9. A mulsh for enhancing the growth of plants, comprising a strip of flexible waterproof material, having sets of intersecting slits disposed at spaced intervals to form foldable flaps, slitsadjacent the flaps to receive the free ends thereof for locking said position to form openings for the plants, and a series of long, narrow openings dis osed about the plant openings to deliver d the mulsh to zones of the soil outside the planting areas. n I

10. A mulsh for enhancing the growth of plants, comprising a strip of flexible water proof material provided with an o ening to expose a planting area, and means or-drain 1ng such water, as falls upon or is applied to the bodysurface of the mulsh, away from the planting area and into separate areas of I water is allowed to penetrate the soil through soil, circumscribed by the body of the mulsh,

which are in spaced boundary relation to the plantin area.

11. he method of enhancing the growth of plants whichcomprises superimposing on the ground adjacent the plants a flexible covering of having drainage openings therein, whereby covering of opaque sets of intersectingplanting 'open- 3 ings in said covering, and openings outside of the flaps to deliver drainage water from material, sets of cross slits disposed at spaced intervals to form triangular fold- :plants throu e of the flap to I,

- deliver rainage water from the surface of Y opaque heat-absorbing, material (said openings and. solar heat isabsorbed the covering: and delivered to. -;the, subj acent soil. J,

152 The method "of enhancing-the growth of plantswhich comprises superimposing on the ground adjacent the plants afiexible heat-absorbing material, having drainage openings therein whereby drainage waterfrom the covering is directed into areas of the soil beneath the covera ing, and maintaining the coverlng in place during the growth of theplants. Y

I 13. I The method ofenhancing the growth of plants which comprises superimposing on the ground a flexible covering' offopaque heat-absorbing material, forming a planting openings in the eovering'torexposesoil' areas i for the plants, forming drainage openings drainage water from the covering'fand de-' liverthe waterto areas of the S011 outside of the'planting areas,

h said plantingfopenings,

, 14.]A mulsi for enhancing-the growth of plants comprising a flexible "sheet of opaque provided with heat-absorbing material drainage [openings disposed 1 at intervals to v drainage water. from. the surface of the mulshto 'areasfl ofrthe' soil beneath the outside of the planting openings to receive and planting the '80 15. A malsh for enhanoingthegrowth of plants comprising a flexible dark-colored sheet of paperximpre atedflwith asphaltic material and provide with drainage openings disposed at intervals .todeliver drainage water fromthe surface ofjt-he mulsh to areas of the soil beneaththe mulsh. 16. A mulsh for enhancing the, growth of plants comprising afiexible sheet of. opaque heat absorbing and heat-transmitting materialprovidedwwith an openingftoexpose a plant-receiving area-0f soil, anddrainag'c openings disposed "at'intervals about" the planting opening to deliver drainage water from the surface of the the soil outsideitheplanting area.

17. Amulsh for enhancing the growth of plants comprising. a sheet of flexible waterproof material having slits therein to form foldable flapsto define planting openings in the. mulsh, and, openingsouts'ide of the: flaps to deliver. drainage water from the surface of the mulsh to zones of the soil outside the 110 planting areas. a g I 1 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

mulsh to areas of oHARLEs ne ther; 

